Tozaka supports Bill to extend life of provincial assemblies

Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade and Member of Parliament (MP) for North Vella La Vella Milner Tozaka has supported the Bill to extend the life of the current provincial assemblies of Choiseul and Western provincial government.

He was speaking in Parliament, Thursday in support of the Bill to amend the Provincial Government Act 1994.

He said, this Bill is important to change the time limit to defer the elections of the provincial assemblies from 60 days to 12 months.

Mr Tozaka said, the two provinces still need help and time to allow the completion for the biometric voter registration to be done by electoral commission for all to take place prior to their election for this year.

Mr Tozaka said the Bill needs Parliament Members to amend it so that they can give the authority, the Cabinet to extend the time limit.

“This Bill is a very straight forward Bill, which is an ongoing process in our government.

“And this is one of the processes which at this point of time manifesto ally the good relationship and the development that we have that continue to exist to central and the provincial government.”

He highlighted that the provincial government is the agent of the central Government and he wanted to thank the government, the minster and ministry responsible for seeing the necessity to change the section 9 (1) (b) (iii) of the Provincial Government Act 1997 to amend by deleting ’60 days’ and substituting ’12 months.

Minster Tozaka also thanked the Minster for the Provincial Government and Institutional Strengthening Nestor Ghiro for his proactive action to bring the Bill before the parliament for the consideration of the House.